A review of the literature on the effect of physical activity on body dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms in African American and White adolescent girls

Objective: Body dissatisfaction and depression are two intersecting and significant public health issues impacting the health of adolescent girls. The aim of this study is to conduct a review of the literature to describe the relationships between (1) body dissatisfaction and depression, (2) physical activity and body dissatisfaction, and (3) physical activity and depression, in order to inform a quantitative study that will investigate the potential moderating role of physical activity on body dissatisfaction and depression. Special consideration is given to how these relationships differ across racial groups. A better understanding of the relationships between body dissatisfaction, depression and physical activity will provide valuable information to inform interventions targeting these important issues in different racial demographics. \ud Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted to describe the relationship between body dissatisfaction, depression and physical activity among African American and White adolescent girls. \ud Results: Depression is one of the most significant mental health conditions facing adolescents. Racial differences are inconsistent across studies and further investigation remains necessary. The majority of adolescent girls report some level of body dissatisfaction, many of whom have symptoms significant enough to warrant diagnoses. There is significant body of data that suggests that African American girls report lower levels of body dissatisfaction than White girls. Physical activity is a powerful tool to help treat and prevent both of these conditions, however, a sharp decline is seen in adolescent girls’ levels of physical activity, regardless of their race. \ud Conclusion: Depression and body dissatisfaction are two intersecting issues affecting the health of adolescent girls. This relationship is affected by participation in physical activity, however, physical activity rates decline sharply during adolescence. African American girls appear to be protected from body dissatisfaction by factors in the physical and social environments. Several recommendations are made to strengthen further research, intervention and policy addressing the intersection of depression, body dissatisfaction and physical activity in African American and White adolescent girls. \u